Chris Kaman is one of the intriguing names being dangled before the trade deadline this season. The New Orleans Hornets' center has the potential to be a solid rebounder and shot-blocker for a contending team.

Marc Stein of ESPN wrote on Friday that the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers have "strong interest" in acquiring the big man.

I've already touched on why Kaman would be a good fit for the Pacers. But he'd also be a nice addition for the Rockets, who currently hold the Western Conference's No. 4 seed behind the play of guards Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin and power forward Luis Scola.

Now, the Rockets already have two dependable centers in Samuel Dalembert and Jordan Hill, but adding someone like Kaman would give them great depth in the interior. They're already fourth in the NBA in rebounding differential—Kaman would add even more to this advantage.

Kaman isn't exactly an offensive threat, but the Rockets don't exactly need one, either. However, they are allowing opponents to shoot 45 percent from the field, so they could use another defender in the post to help them out in that area.

Kaman has been known as a very good rebounder throughout his career and, despite not having great athleticism, he can certainly block shots.

It ultimately comes down to what the Rockets are willing to give up. It was reported earlier that the Hornets were looking for a first-round draft pick, but Stein wrote on Friday that the Hornets' demands may ease up a bit:

The Hornets are said to be seeking at least one good future draft pick or young player for Kaman, but getting even that much has proved difficult to land to date, presumably because of Kaman's ability to become a free agent in July.

But even if the Rockets gave up a first-rounder, it's likely to be a late first-round pick anyway, because of their record.

The Rockets are clearly a team on the rise. Adding Kaman would make them even more dangerous in the playoffs.